Books in this brand-new, illustrated series contain complete texts of Shakespeare's plays. However, the lines are set up so students can see the bard's original poetic phrases printed side-by-side and line-by-line with a modern "translation" on the facing page. The plays have endured, but over the course of 400+ years, the English language has changed in many ways - which is why today's students often find Shakespeare's idiom difficult to comprehend. Simply Shakespeare offers an excellent solution to their problem. Introducing each play is a general essay covering Shakespeare's life and times.
At the beginning of each act in every play, a two-page spread describes what is about to take place with - - An Introduction: Explains the story's background - Characters: Briefly describes key people who will appear in the act - Things to Watch For: Summarizes how important characters react to events taking place - Historical and Social Context: Discusses how widely held ideas in Shakespeare's time are reflected in the play's action - Staging: Explains how Shakespeare's Globe Theatre was suited for the play - Language: Includes brief discussion of puns, plays on words, and poetic images Identifying icons preceding each of these study points are printed in a second color, then are located again as cross-references in the play's original text. Following each act, a closing spread presents questions and discussion points for use as teachers' aids. Guided by the inspiring format of this fine new series, both teachers and students will come to understand and appreciate the genius of Shakespeare as never before. | 
